The 2024-25 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

Feb 16, 2024 - CalSAWS was introduced in 2019 and, as of October 2023, all 58 counties use the system. The federal government helps manage an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system which deposits monthly benefits for CalFresh and other human services pr ograms onto cards to be used at grocery and convenience store checkout counters.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4845

The 2022-23 Budget: Analysis of Child Welfare Proposals and Program Implementation Updates

Feb 22, 2022 - DSS issued guidance to counties about the availability of the 2021 ‑22 non ‑competitive allocations for all 58 counties (and a tribal set aside) in mid ‑February; county welfare departments will indicate whether they accept their allocations by the end of March.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4558

The 2025-26 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

Feb 19, 2025 - CalSAWS was introduced in 2019 and, as of October 2023, all 58 counties use the system. The federal government helps manage an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system which deposits monthly benefits for CalFresh and other human services pr ograms onto cards to be used at grocery and convenience store checkout counters.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4971

The 2024-25 Budget: Child Support

Feb 27, 2024 - Given we estimated the Governor ’s budget solved a $58  billion budget problem —and revenues continue to deteriorate —the administration likely will not implement the full passthrough to current CalWORKs families as part of the May Revision.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4861

The 2022-23 California Spending Plan: Human Services

Oct 21, 2022 - Specifically, budget language amends statute to allow state assistance to be provided to emergency caregivers prior to their completion of the RFA process, for up to 120 days (or 365 days in cases where a good cause extension is warranted) on an ongoing basis.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4640/4

Trends in CalWORKs: Participant Characteristics

Jun 16, 2025 - According to CDSS, the 2019 and 2023 CalWORKs take‑up rates were about 58 percent and 54 percent, respectively.) The CalWORKs participation rate differs from the CalWORKs take‑up rate in that it considers all families with children statewide (including those who are not eligible for the program), while the take‑up rate focuses only on likely eligible families (for example, households that meet the income and categorical requirements for CalWORKs).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5057

The 2021-22 May Revision—Child Welfare Budget Proposals

Jun 11, 2021 - Figure 3 State Funds for Pandemic Response Within Child Welfare Programs General Fund (In Millions) Cash cards for families at risk of foster care $27.8 State contracts for technology (laptops, cell phones) and hotlines for foster youth and families d — Administrative workload for child welfare social workers (overtime, pandemic outreach) 5.0 Rate flexibilities for resource families directly
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4444

The 2024-25 Budget: Child Care

Apr 15, 2024 - Of these funds, $58  million is provided to cover costs associated with Bridge child care vouchers. In the past, the state has also drawn down between $10  million and $20  million in additional federal Title IV ‑E funds to partially cover Bridge voucher costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4893

The 2021-22 Budget: Analysis of Child Welfare Proposals

Feb 11, 2021 - Current statute dictates these eligible individuals may receive foster payments for up to 120 days (or up to 365 days if a good ‑cause extension is warranted) while completing the resource family approval process.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4364

The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Human Services

Nov 22, 2021 - During the first year of FFPSA implementation, a county may elect to begin providing prevention services by providing written notice to DSS prior to fully completing its com prehensive prevention plan.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4476/3